Luke Talks to His Nephew
by Steve Phillips
Summary: This is a short one. If you've seen Star Wars:The Force Awakens, you know that Kylo Ren is Luke Skywalker's nephew. I tried to imagine how Luke would feel having known Ben Solo back when he was a toddler, and now worried that his grown nephew is tempted to turn to the dark side. I wish they could have had an exchange like this one.


**_Spoiler warning – this story is my re-imagining of a scene from Star Wars: The Last Jedi.  
_**

 ** _If you haven't seen the film yet, it's probably better if you pass on this one.  
_**

 ** _I've enjoyed the two movies from the new trilogy. But there were some things about The Last Jedi that I didn't like. I know this is an emotional subject for some, so be it, it's just my opinion, nothing more. So here you go…._**

…

"Kylo. Kylo, wake up. It's Luke."

The boy stirred, and then jolted as though from a shock. He thrust his hand to the side and his lightsaber flew to it. Its blue blade pierced the darkness and bathed their faces in its deathly glow.

The Jedi Master stood with his hands up in surrender. "There's no need for that, Kylo. I'm unarmed."

"You... that name. How do you know that name?"

The blade hummed only inches from Luke's face, and he didn't flinch. "I know everything. I know why you want to choose that name. How the dark side has called you. If you want to kill me, I won't stop you."

After a moment of shock, the boy turned the lightsaber off. The silence hung in the air until the boy spoke.

"Master Skywalker -"

"Uncle. Please. Uncle. To you, I'd rather be Uncle more than Master. I've sensed the turmoil you're feeling. I've been waiting for the right time to talk about this, but the right time will never come. Did you know that I turned to the dark side once?"

He had his nephew's attention now. "You? When - why?"

Luke sighed. This was going to be difficult. "My father Anakin, who became Darth Vader. I know you look up to him. To his power. He threatened that he would turn Leia - your mother - to the dark side. An anger flashed up in me that I can't describe."

"What happened?"

"I gave in. The anger was all through me. I kept swinging my lightsaber and the room could've been on fire and I wouldn't have seen it. I pushed my father back, knocked him to the ground, and he was helpless. But the dark side had me. I just kept swinging away at him. I disarmed him and cut off his hand. And the Emperor laughed at us. He told me to finish him." The Jedi Master was having a tough time meeting his nephew's eyes. "I couldn't do it, Ben. When I came to my senses, I felt like there was this stain on me that I might never get rid of."

After a moment, Ben said, "You did what you had to."

"If I'd finished my father in cold blood like that, I don't think I could've forgiven myself."

Ben swallowed hard. "What do you want me to do?"

This was a good sign, but it wasn't enough. "I think we're past me telling you what to do. You want independence and it's okay to admit that. If you want to talk, I'll listen. Your mother and father too. Soon you need to make a choice. You can't go on like this. If you want to choose the dark side, go to Snoke."

"Just like that? You'd let me go just like that?"

"I've thought about nothing else. We need to trust you. Trust that the Force is sending you down the right path. But make no mistake. If you go to the dark side, I'll oppose you. Fight you."

"Kill me? Kill your sister's only son?"

"I'll do what I must. I didn't kill my father when the Emperor wanted me to join the dark side. But those lightsabers...have a way of...". Luke looked at his mechanical hand. "Well, I don't need to explain. You're welcome to stay. If you need to go, go now and don't trust Snoke. The dark side has a way of nursing your worst fears and using them against you."

"If I go to Snoke…what will you tell mother?"

"I'll tell her I tried to talk you out of it. I'll tell her you left with our love, even if it wasn't with my blessing. Then I'll say that her son is a grown young man who made an extremely difficult choice."

Kylo Ren paused. Or was it Ben Solo. Luke honestly didn't know.

"Goodbye, Uncle. I need to go."

Luke's jaw dropped and his heart sank into the depths. He was about to say 'no' when the boy handed over his lightsaber. "Forget the Light Side. And the Dark Side. I'll choose my own path. I need to go see mother. And my father."

As his nephew walked away, Luke took a deep breath and thought he might collapse. He had bounced little Benjamin Solo on his knee when the child was a toddler. Now had he done enough for Ben, and for Leia and Han? He stood and looked into a mirror. The lines of his face and his graying beard looked back at him. Was he so old that he didn't see things clearly anymore, and he had outlived his usefulness? A soft blue glow rose behind him and cast his shadow on the wall.

"Finally, you're here." Luke turned and saw the Force Ghosts of Master Yoda, Anakin Skywalker and Obi Wan Kenobi. "Were you guys watching the entire time?"

Yoda said, "Handled him better than I ever could have, you did."

Anakin chuckled. "It's a good thing you didn't say that 'certain point of view' crap."

Obi-Wan rolled his eyes. "I will never forgive Qui Gon for teaching me that."


End file.
